


A Single Grand Gesture

by Aria_Lerendeair



Series: Mr. President, Sir [1]
Category: Shadowhunters (TV), The Shadowhunter Chronicles - All Media Types, The Shadowhunter Chronicles - Cassandra Clare
Genre: Alec comes out, Alec says screw the system, Alternate Universe - Politics, American Politics, Cute, First Husband or First Gentleman - Important Questions, Get Together, Grand Gestures, M/M, Politics, This is going to be a series yes, alec is a disaster gay
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-12
Updated: 2020-02-12
Packaged: 2021-02-28 01:06:40
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,783
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22675309
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Aria_Lerendeair/pseuds/Aria_Lerendeair
Summary: Alec Lightwood is about to step on stage to accept the Republican Nomination for President, and will be facing Magnus Bane, the assumptive Democratic Nominee.But is it what he actually wants?  When Alec asks himself that question and decides not to be afraid of the answer...Well, he might just help change the world.
Relationships: Magnus Bane/Alec Lightwood, Mentioned Alec/Lydia
Series: Mr. President, Sir [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1631230
Comments: 59
Kudos: 495





	A Single Grand Gesture

**Author's Note:**

> This is what happens when I live in New Hampshire and my mind is all politics and then LaCroixWitch has to come in and be like 'BUT WHAT ABOUT POLITICAL AUs' and then this scene was a thing and I had to write it. 
> 
> This IS going to be a part of a bigger universe where Magnus gets elected, and he and Alec figure out the whole First Husband/First Gentleman thing, get married quietly, and then not-so-quietly, and maybe adopt a couple of cats and kids while they're at it. 
> 
> THERE'S A LOT HERE AND WE ALL NEED SOME FLUFFY POLITICAL STUFF TO DEAL WITH ALL OF THE BULLSHIT RIGHT NOW. 
> 
> Also this was written SUPER quick, very late at night, so please forgive typos.

"Senator Lightwood?" 

Alec looked up, folding his speech back into the tiny squares that it had originally been in and looked up at Aline, offering her a quick smile. She was the best campaign manager he ever could have asked for. "You know I don't mind if you call me Alec." 

Aline nodded, firmly. "I know that. But with your parents here, formality seemed best. Lydia is finishing her speech. They're almost ready for you." 

Alec swallowed and nodded again. He resisted the urge to unfold his speech and read it for a dozenth, even though he'd had it memorized for hours now. "All right," he agreed, pushing himself to his feet. "How's the DNC going?" 

Aline wrinkled her nose. "There's a lot of press coverage about the move, how having them at the same night is causing a lot of unnecessary drama, but then again-" 

"-we know Bane loves his drama," Alec finished for her, giving a quick smile. He knew. Almost too well. He fell silent again and looked down at the floor. 

Aline took a step closer. "Alec?" 

Alec didn't look up at her, keeping his head bowed. "Yeah?" 

Aline stepped closer to him and reached out to touch his arm, giving it a small squeeze. "You know that I'm here for you, because I believe that you want to make the world better, right?" 

The familiar words, that had been said to him when he'd asked her to be his campaign manager, made him smile. "I do know that, Aline." 

"And you know that I promised to tell you the truth? Even if you didn't want to hear it?" she pressed. 

Alec glanced up at her and saw the seriousness there. He flinched when the crowd roared behind her, Lydia leading them in a chant of _'Lightwood, Lightwood, Lightwood'_ to get them properly riled up. "Yeah, Aline, I know you did." 

"Then know that I think you are making the biggest mistake you're ever going to make in your life," she said, her voice quiet and certain. "Not in your political career, not in anything else. But in your _life,_ Alec." 

The knot in his throat was getting worse and Alec dropped his eyes to the floor, shaking his head. "Aline..." 

"I will follow you no matter what you decide to do, Alec. But there is one thing I agree wholeheartedly with Bane on. If you're going to change the world? You don't do that by playing by their rules." 

Alec felt her give his arm another squeeze and watched as she stood up and stepped away, intercepting an intern come to inform him that he would be taking the stage shortly. They'd timed things purposefully so he would be on stage before Bane was. Hopefully there wasn't too much time difference, so he couldn't modify his acceptance speech. 

"Alec!" Lydia called, stepping off stage, a large grin on her face. "They're ready for you! The crowd is electric, we're going to blow the roof off this place!" 

Alec tilted his head into the kiss she offered his cheek and stood up, looking down at her as she adjusted his tie. His hands were shaking when he reached up and gently pushed her hands away. He looked out behind the curtain, to the entire Republican National Convention waiting to nominate him, and then back to her. 

"Alec?" Lydia asked. "Are you all right?" 

Alec nodded and gave her hands a brief squeeze. He adjusted and smoothed out his suit one last time, straightened his shoulders, lifted his chin and stepped out towards the crowd. He could do this. He _could._

~!~ 

"Magnus!" Helen shouted, skidding around a corner and into the private conference room where Magnus was waiting. She banged frantically on the door. "Magnus, open the door now!" 

His eyes wide, Magnus pulled the door open. "Helen, what on earth-" 

"Move!" she growled, diving for the remote to the television that had been placed in the room. She flipped the channel twice and pointed to it with the remote. "Look!" 

Magnus stared at the giant blinking words on the news ticker with shock. 

**"ALEC LIGHTWOOD WITHDRAWS FROM RACE IN STUNNING NOT-ACCEPTANCE SPEECH"**

"He withdrew?" Magnus breathed, staring at the news line, waiting for it to change. But no, no matter how many times he blinked, no matter how he tried to refocus, it was still there. The pundits were all wide-eyed with shock, barely able to comment and the camera was still focused on the empty stage and stunned RNC attendees. 

"That's not _all!_ " Helen said, flipping channels. "You need to hear his speech!" 

Magnus blinked and turned to her. "Helen, I-" 

"Magnus, shut up, I swear to god, or I'm going to pour hot sauce on your favorite suit," Helen growled, flipping to the next channel. 

Magnus snapped his mouth shut and refocused when it was clear the next news channel was replaying the whole scene from start to finish. His eyes flickered to the clock. Alec couldn't have been on stage for more than a matter of minutes at the most, so what the hell had happened? 

He snapped back to attention at a roar from the crowd and watched Alec step out, giving a customary smile and wave. Magnus tilted his head, frowning. Alec looked pale, even like this. He'd met his opponent, several times, both in public and in more private settings as political rivals were wont to do outside the eyes of the press, and he didn't look like himself. 

"What the..." Magnus breathed as Alec suddenly stopped, halfway to the podium. The cheers faltered and Alec appeared to be looking around the room, taking all of it in. Someone, a volunteer, perhaps, got the cheer of his name going again, and the room quickly filled with chants of Lightwood's name. That, at least, seemed to refocus him and Magnus watched him square his shoulders again and finish striding towards the podium. 

Alec gave another wave, this time eliciting the loudest cheer yet and Magnus sat forward, staring at the TV in shock, glad that the pundits weren't trying to talk over the recording. 

"Well, I can't say that I ever expected this, when I first became a Senator five years ago," Alec began, smiling at a roar from the crowd. "Politics has been a part of my life since I was a kid, and while the story of me sitting on Dad's lap while he read through different bills is, _unfortunately_ true..." 

Magnus felt his lips quirk against his will. That was a cute mental image, but the words felt forced. There was none of Alexander's usual fire behind them and then he faltered again, looking down at the podium. 

"However," Alec paused, swallowing hard. "It's been my entire life." 

Magnus' eyes flickered to the stage and curtain behind Alec, and the frantic activity around the teleprompter stands. Alexander had just gone off script, in a big way. 

"And while, while serving as the candidate for president for this party is something I have..." Alec trailed off and shook his head, tightening his hands on the podium. "No. _**No.**_ " He took a deep breath. 

Magnus' eyes went wide and he watched Alec meet the camera, his eyes fierce, fire snapping in them, just like they had in every single debate he'd ever participated in. His breath caught. There was Alexander Lightwood, the man who had galvanized a dying party. 

"I was born into politics. I was raised into it. According to some, I was bred into it, and there is some truth to that," Alec said, his voice firm. "I was told it was what I wanted before I even knew to think about what else there could be for me." He took another deep breath. "The support of hundreds of thousands of Americans who believe in my message and my policies means the world to me, but I have to be honest." 

Magnus bit down on his lip, his hand clenched in his slacks as he stared at the screen. 

"They're not my policies. They're not choices I would make for you all. They are what is expected of me, what caters to my base, and...and you all deserve better," Alec said, laughing and tilting his head back to look at the ceiling. Magnus devoured the curve of his neck and watched him exhale hard. 

"That is why, today, I am respectfully withdrawing my candidacy. I will finish my term as Senator and I will not be campaigning for re-election. I urge, I _urge_ the American people who voted for me to look to someone who truly has their best interests at heart, because, unfortunately, I can't tell you that I did, despite my best efforts." Alec said, stepping away from the podium, looking around. 

"Alexander," Magnus breathed. The broadcast cut off then, and was back to the news team discussing it and he leaned back, his mind racing. 

"That makes it look so much more dramatic than it actually was," Alec said, shaking his head. "I was quaking in my shoes." 

Magnus spun around, sliding off the arm of the chair, to stare at Alec, who was standing in the corner of the room, grinning at him. "Alexander!" 

"Hey, Magnus," Alec said, taking a deep breath. "You ready for your speech?" 

"You say that like I don't need to go find Simon right this second to get whatever modified version he has for me, because, fuck, why didn't you at least warn me-" Magnus ranted. 

"I didn't know I was going to do it until I'd gotten halfway across the stage," Alec said with a shrug. "Hell, I even started the speech I'd been given." 

Magnus spun to him, narrowing his eyes. "How did you even get over here so quickly?" 

Alec smiled. "Aline and Izzy. The second I stepped off stage, the two of them got me the hell out of there. I'm sure they're still looking for me, but I wasn't about to stick around." 

"So you came _here?_ " Magnus asked, staring at him, resisting the urge to run his fingers through his hair. "Alexander, you have to understand how mad this is." 

Alec laughed and nodded. "Oh, I do, believe me. I'm riding the wave of shock more than anything else." 

Magnus shook his head. "Alec, what the hell do you think you're doing, this is your entire life that you're throwing away!" 

Alec grew quickly somber. "I'm not throwing away anything. I'm throwing away the dream I was born into, raised into and told it was mine before it ever was. You were right when you called me a part of the right wing political baby machine." 

Magnus winced. "One of my more eloquent insults." 

"And accurate," Alec pointed out. "That's why I'm here." 

Magnus tilted his head and raised his eyebrows. "Oh? Do tell?" 

"Listen, Magnus," Alec said, swallowing hard. "I just threw away my entire political career via grand gesture, and I know that I'm a scandal waiting to happen as a result, but I meant what I said." 

"What's that?" Magnus whispered, watching as Alec walked closer to him, his eyes still as bright and determined as they had been when he'd walked off stage. 

Alec smiled. "I want the American people to vote for a candidate that has their best interests at heart. Who isn't afraid to buck the system. And who maybe needs some help to do that." 

Magnus licked his lips, his eyes darting around the room only to realize that at some point, Helen had left them alone and it was just he and Alexander, and he would probably have to go on stage shortly. "Yeah? And who might that be?" 

Alec's smile turned into a smirk as he stepped close enough for them to be almost touching. "How do you feel about having one more dramatic gesture added to the evening?" 

Magnus' breath caught in his chest. "I am all ears, darling," whispered. 

~!~

Magnus stepped on stage, immediately spinning and dancing his way towards the podium. It had quickly become one of his signatures, and by the way the convention started to scream, it was clearly still something they were a fan of. Magnus finished his little shuffle routine, his heart pounding as he stopped in front of the podium. 

"Well, it's been an eventful evening, hasn't it?" he teased, looking out into the crowd, hearing their roar. "Just to make sure you're all not worrying - I'm planning to accept my nomination." Magnus gave the cameras a wink as a chant of his last name began to echo through the arena as the music started to die down. He could feel Alexander giving him a _look_ from behind the curtain. 

"On to official business!" he began with a wave of his fingers. "Since I no longer know precisely who my opponent will be, I confess that this speech might be a tad off the cuff, since my poor speech writer had to figure something out in the last thirty minutes or so." There was a brief wave of laughter and Magnus grinned at them all. 

He straightened his shoulders, his expression growing more serious. "It truly is an honor to accept the nomination for this party this evening, and it is thanks to all of you, and the frankly amazing shoes I have been buying for months with all of that walking, that I am standing here today." Another laugh, lots of smiles. 

"But I do want to touch on what happened earlier. I want to commend Alec Lightwood on his bravery for doing what he felt was right," he took a deep breath and felt silence descend on the convention. "It's very difficult under the pressure of family, and your entire upbringing, to be true to yourself, and to make decisions that are right for you, not just what you are told is right." 

Another deep breath, and another smile. "Facing Alec Lightwood as my political opponent in this race would have been an honor. And no matter what I think of his politics, he has shown himself to be the best kind of man and one that I greatly admire, especially this evening." 

"Is that my cue?" 

Magnus fought down the urge to laugh as the entire convention went dead silent as Alec's voice suddenly echoed through the speakers. He turned and looked over his shoulder, raising an eyebrow as he gestured Alec forward. 

Alec took a deep breath and lowered the microphone, walking across the stage and towards Magnus. You could hear a pin drop in the entire convention, but Magnus was smiling at him and that was enough. That was _always_ going to be enough. He straightened his shoulders and stopped right beside him and waved his hand. 

"Hi everyone, my name is Alec Lightwood and you might be wondering what the hell I'm doing here," Alec started, giving a quick flash of a smile when a few surprised laughs broke out. "Well, we all know what a fan Magnus is of making these big gestures for drama," he teased, glancing towards Magnus. "So I thought I'd try making one more of my own this evening." 

Alec reached out and took Magnus' hand, giving it a firm squeeze, hearing voices start to shout in the convention as he looked into the camera raising his chin with a grin as Magnus squeezed his hand right back. He lifted their hands, showing their intertwined fingers and turned, raising his eyebrow at Magnus, quickly making sure he was okay with this. 

Magnus tugged Alec in close, until they were pressed together, and grinned up at him. "You ready to change the world, Mr. Lightwood?" 

"As long as you're the one leading the charge, Mr. Bane," Alec breathed, letting Magnus pull him in the rest of the way for a kiss. Around them, the arena exploded with cheers and shouts, there was music playing, and confetti and Alec couldn't help but get lost in how soft Magnus' lips were, and smiled down at him, pulling back to press their foreheads together. "Now, go kick some ass," he ordered, giving the crowd a wave before heading back off stage. 

The second the curtain was behind him, Alec let the grin he'd been fighting take over his entire face. Izzy was there, waiting to wrap him in a giant hug and so was Aline. He hugged Izzy tight, breathing out. 

"Who says I can't be dramatic like Magnus?" he managed, once she'd let go of him. He could hear the faint strains of Magnus speaking again, and the crowd had still not stopped screaming. 

Aline smiled at Alec proudly. "You did damn good tonight, Alec. You're going to become a poster child for every gay kid in a conservative family." 

Alec grinned, breathing out slowly, looking around at them. "I think I'm going to love that. And I think that's what I'm going to tackle as First Husband." 

Aline laughed and shook her head. "Is that what we're going to call it? I mean, there's never been a need for the name before." 

"I'm partial to First Gentleman, myself," Magnus said, stepping off stage. "But we do actually need to get married for that to be the case, Alexander." 

Alec shrugged happily, reaching out for Magnus' hand, glad when he felt the now-familiar brush of cool rings against his skin. "You're it for me, Magnus. Whenever you're ready, I'm happy to make it official." 

"Oh god, they're going to be _that_ couple, aren't they?" Helen grumbled, watching as Magnus and Alec turned to face each other, whispering quietly, clearly lost in their own bubble. She glanced over at Aline. "We didn't thrown them together that much during the campaign, did we?" 

"Well, they have been texting almost non-stop since New Hampshire, so can you blame them?" Aline said, pointing to them. "And any time they talk about each other, it's electric and the press pounces all over it." 

"A political courtship!" Simon shouted, bursting into the room. "Magnus, why didn't you tell me!" 

Aline intercepted Simon before he could step closer to Magnus, tugging him away. "Let them have a few. They're about to lose any semblance of privacy they have." 

Simon laughed. "They just made the single biggest political statement possible in the space of an hour and you think I care about anything other than celebrating? We have to _party!_ " 

Helen couldn't help grinning. She looked over at Aline and gave her a quick bump on the shoulder. "You know, we could always use more folks who actually know their way around a campaign around here. Especially with the scandal your Mr. Lightwood just dropped into our laps." 

Aline glanced over at Helen and found herself smiling, despite herself. "I think that can perhaps be arranged. We've got a lot of work to do to make sure he makes it to the white house." 

"And then the actual fun begins," Helen gushed. She pulled out her phone and winced at the number of missed calls and messages. "Magnus, we need to head to the after party, and you and Alec are not allowed to have sex in the limo!" 

Alec flushed and choked, glancing at her, and then back at Magnus. "You think I want to tank his campaign that quickly? I've only been here an hour!" 

"Oh," Magnus drawled, reaching out to tuck his fingertips into Alec's pants pocket, pulling him closer. "I think if we don't come out of the limo at least a little mussed, people will think it's just a political move." 

Alec's eyes turned back to Magnus and dropped to his lips. Then he narrowed his eyes. "No sex in the limo," he growled, pressing a fingertip into Magnus' chest. 

"Oh darling," Magnus whispered, wrapping his arms around Alec's shoulders, pulling him in. "There's plenty of other things we can get into in that limo of mine." 

"Let's go," Simon called, giving them a shove. "You can make out to your heart's content in the limo, because none of us are going to ride with you like that." 

Alec huffed out a laugh and met Izzy's eyes, reaching out for her with his free hand not being held by Magnus'. "Iz, I don't know-" 

"Hey," Izzy interrupted, shaking her head. "We're going to be fine. I have my inheritance, I don't need them, and I don't want to need them if they're not going to stand with you." She grinned. "Besides, I get a break from being the family scandal! I should thank you!" 

Alec pulled her in for a tight hug and then let Simon finish urging him through the twisting hallways in the back of the arena towards the waiting limos. "You aren't going to meet with the press before the after party?" 

Magnus gave him a look with raised eyebrows. "You want to meet with the press about the stunts you just pulled before you've had alcohol?" 

Alec's eyes went wide and he slid into the limo, holding out his hand for Magnus. "Not a chance in hell!" 

Magnus laughed in delight and let Alec pull him into the limo and against him. He quickly put up the partition and straddled Alec's thighs, his fingers diving into Alec's hair. "Have I mentioned today how incredible you were, Alexander?" 

"Thanks to you," Alec whispered, leaning in to press a soft kiss to Magnus' lips. "You made me want to be brave, and to do something for myself." 

"Lucky for me, that something is me!" Magnus teased, tugging Alec in for another kiss. Even luckier was the fact that the party venue was at least twenty minutes away in traffic. 

When Magnus finally did let him break for air and paused to look at him, their foreheads pressed together as they had a quiet moment together, Alec forced himself to ask the question that he needed an answer to. “We’re really going to do this, right?” 

Magnus gave him a hopeless smile, tugging Alexander in for another soft kiss, losing himself in the soft press of Alec’s lips. “We really are, Alexander,” he whispered between kisses. “Pretty sure you’re it for me too, and I’m certainly not about to let you go when you made the single most romantic gesture I’ve ever seen in my entire life.” 

Alec raised both of his eyebrows. “Was that torching my entire political career, or kissing you on stage as you accept your nomination?” 

Magnus grinned, bright and wide. “I’ll never tell.” 

Alec snorted and pulled him in for another kiss. It didn’t matter. The only thing that mattered was that they’d made it here, together. 

**Author's Note:**

> Comments and Criticisms welcome!
> 
> Come join a Multifandom Discord Server -  
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> 
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> [AriaLerendeair](http://arialerendeair.tumblr.com/)
> 
> And on twitter over here:  
> [Aria_Lerendeair](https://twitter.com/Aria_Lerendeair)


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